


all kinds of awkward

by kathkin



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M, Silly, this fic is almost a FULL decade old
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:14:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24355663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kathkin/pseuds/kathkin
Summary: They are halfway to the bed, tugging at each other’s clothes before they notice Uther sitting on Arthur's chair.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 440





	all kinds of awkward

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for [this prompt](https://kinkme-merlin.livejournal.com/17048.html?thread=15631768#t15631768) on Kink Me Merlin in 2010.

They almost don’t make it back to Arthur’s room at all. Arthur presses Merlin against the wall in the corridor, a few feet away from the door, desperate, yearning for contact, any contact, pressing gentle kisses against the skin of his neck. Merlin gasps out his name and tugs at his shirt, pulling him away. And Arthur nods, and half drags Merlin the last few steps to his room.

The door bangs shut behind them, and Merlin’s hands are on him at once, sliding up under his shirt, and Arthur kisses him, and again, tangling his hands in his hair. He’s already hard, and he knows that Merlin is too, that if he slides his thigh between Merlin’s legs just so, he’ll moan and push back, breath hot against Arthur’s skin, and then, then they’ll…

Someone clears their throat, and Merlin freezes in his arms. Pulls away a little, moving aside, and Arthur sees his father, sitting slouched in his chair, one elbow resting on the table, as if bored, but his expression is stern.

“Father!” he says, still breathless. He lets go of Merlin and steps back, erection wilting faster than he’d thought possible.

“Is this a bad time?” says his father, deadpan.

“No,” says Arthur, words tumbling out in a rush, “No, we were just – I mean, it’s not what it looks like, we were – I mean, Merlin was just –” Beside him, Merlin is edging towards the door, and he grabs for his shoulder, holds on fast, but Merlin twists away.

“I was just leaving,” he says, “Sire. Um. I’m sorry. Sire.”

And with that, he bolts, door slamming shut behind him, leaving Arthur horribly alone. His father is staring at him silently. He raises a hand, gestured vaguely after Merlin, and opens his mouth to explain. “Ah,” he says. “I, ah –” His father continues to stare. “That – it’s not what it looks like.”

“Oh, really?” says his father. “Would you care to explain what it was, then, Arthur?”

Arthur opens his mouth. Clears his throat. “We weren’t,” he begins, “I mean, we weren’t doing – we were just – talking.”

“Talking,” says his father. Arthur nods. “I see.” He sits back in the chair – the same chair, Arthur’s brain helpfully supplies, that he’d been sitting in last night when Merlin had sucked him off – and says, “Arthur really, I knew you were attached to the boy, but this is too far.”

“No!” says Arthur hurriedly. “No we weren’t – me and Merlin, we’re not – he’s just a servant, I swear –” He swallows. “Did you want to see me?”

“I think,” says Uther, getting to his feet, “that it can wait until you’re less distracted.” His fingers brush the surface of the table, and they’d had sex there too, the night before last, and – actually, come to think of it, there weren’t many pieces of furniture in his room that they hadn’t had sex on. Damn.

“I’m not distracted,” he says hurriedly. Uther glares. “I’m not!”

Uther stalks past him to the door without another word, then stops and turns to face him. “I expect you to end this business at once,” he says. “It’s completely inappropriate behaviour. I’m sure there are plenty of willing women, if you really must –”

Arthur gives up. “Of course,” he says. “Anything you say, sire.” His shoulders sag. His father nods, once, then leaves the room. Arthur sinks down in his chair and takes his head in his hands.

*

He doesn’t see Merlin again until the evening, when he appears in his rooms with a tray of food and a timid smile. “Dinner?” he says.

Arthur glares. “Oh, now you come back,” he says.

“Sorry?” says Merlin, setting down the tray.

“You abandoned me!” says Arthur, waving his arms about theatrically. “In my hour of need!” Merlin’s eyes widened. “You left me all alone, you – you coward!”

“I thought you’d want me to leave,” says Merlin. “I thought maybe you’d want some time alone. With your father. To talk. Y’know.”

Arthur punches him on the arm. “You do realise I’ll never trust you again,” he says. “Don’t you?”

“Alright, alright,” says Merlin. “I’m sorry, I just – I panicked. And then I thought he was going to have my head cut off for besmirching your honour or something, so I hid.” Arthur glares. Merlin flinches, as if he thinks Arthur might hit him again. “He’s not going to, is he?”

“Not going to what?” says Arthur.

“Have my head cut off,” says Merlin.

“No, don’t be ridiculous,” says Arthur. “He just wants me to stop seeing you and find a woman to shag instead.”

“Oh,” says Merlin. He swallows. “Are you going to?”

Arthur sighs, takes hold of Merlin’s head and kisses him hard, drawing a little sound of surprise. Merlin is tense in his arms for a moment, but then he relaxes. By the time Arthur pulls back, he looks as if he might have forgotten what they were talking about.

“I suppose that answers my question, then,” he says softly.

“I think we were in the middle of something earlier,” says Arthur, backing Merlin up against the table. “Shall we?”


End file.
